Dia de los Muertos Celebration & Off the Grid Food Trucks November 2, 2011

This fall, at a time of year when the veil between the living and dead is thought to be at its most diaphanous, the North Shattuck Association will host a Dia de los Muertos Celebration. The community is invited to gather on Shattuck Ave. between Rose and Vine Streets.

Celebrating those who have passed on, this year's altar, or ofrenda, is being created for and by community members who may bring photos or stories of their loved ones, candles, breads, or flowers to add to the altar.

Coinciding with Off The Grid, the Gourmet Ghetto's weekly food truck festival, the Dia de los Muertos Celebration offers mariachi music by Con Permisso, free skeletal face painting 5-7:30PM, DIY art projects for kids and adults, a wine and beer garden, and a contest for the best grown up costumes and giant papier mache heads. Prizes will be awarded at 7:30PM.

After the judging, Cuatli Mitotiana Mexica Aztec Dancers perform and then lead everyone in a sidewalk candle light procession through the district for about an hour following along a path of strewn marigold petals. A separate children's Halloween costume contest will be held earlier in the week on Halloween, Oct. 31, 4PM at Epicurious Gardens, 1511 Shattuck Ave. Prizes at that costume contest are a free scoop from Lush Gelato.

Gourmet Ghetto restaurants will create a special Ghoulish Gastronomique menu that will be served from Thursday, October 27 through Wednesday, November 2 for the entire Halloween/Dia de los Muertos weekend. You may find deviled chicken, one-eyed monster pizza, creepy crepes, or ghoul's eye soup on their menus.

The Dia de los Muertos Celebration is sponsored by the North Shattuck Association, Saul's Deli, Vintage Berkeley Wines, Vignette Wine Country Soda, Richmond Spokes, East Bay Express and Berkeleyside.com.

The Gourmet Ghetto is six blocks north of Downtown Berkeley BART. For more info visit www.AnotherBullwinkelShow.com.

Official Website: http://www.anotherbullwinkelshow.com/day-of-dead/